


A Greater Magic

by Jarakrisafis



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-03-22
Updated: 2008-03-22
Packaged: 2017-10-23 23:20:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/256204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jarakrisafis/pseuds/Jarakrisafis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alternate Take on the first task in GoF: Dragons are more than they seem to be</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Perhaps it was a sense of curiosity, or perhaps just a lack of common sense, that saw Harry thanking Hagrid for informing him of the dragons, and then turning, not back to the castle, but towards the Forbidden Forest, back towards the voices which had whispered in his ears as he had stared at the encampment of dragons and handlers, hidden under a layer of invisibility.

He crouched now, still hidden as the keepers bedded down for the night, only those on duty remaining around the small fire which had been started well away from the dragon enclosures.

He crept towards the dragons, urged on by the whispers which seemed to get louder as he got nearer to the great beasts, whispers which gained in coherence, changing from a mass of confused syllables to flowing sentences.

 _If they think I'm going to settle down after being dragged who knows how far they have another thing coming_. The voice flowed over Harry's senses like honey, deep and warm.

 _And don't forget moving our nests_. That voice had a definite female tone, coloured with a waspish acidity.

 _What was wrong with the last location?_ Another voice put in, tone disgruntled and sleepy.

 _Also cold here, the warming magics are wearing thin._ The first voice said with a hissing sigh.

 _Reminds me of home,_ A fourth voice added.

Harry frowned, staring at the enclosures, it couldn't be. Could it?

 _Hello?_ Four pairs of eyes immediately fastened onto his position.

 _Curious_. The acidic toned voice said as the unblinking eyes never strayed from where he was standing.

Harry pushed the cloak back off his head, as it appeared the dragons knew he was there.

 _Curious_. The acidic voice repeated.

 _What is a hatchling doing out on a night like this?_ The warm voice asked.

 _I heard you speaking._ Harry said as he turned to face the red dragon who he thought was the owner of the warm, honey like voice as she curled up around her nest of almost Gryffindor coloured eggs.

 _Ah_. The reply was sad, _not many hear us any more, even less understand us._

 _Why not?_

 _Wizards have forgotten who they are_. Harry turned to view the blue dragon that had moved to the front of her enclosure. _They have forgotten how to connect to magic._

 _I can do magic_.

 _Hardly_. The acidic voice snapped as the black dragon snorted, letting out a puff of smoke

 _We dragons have long memories_ , the sleepy voice said as the green lifted her head off her forepaws to stare at Harry, _compared to the mages of old you know nothing of magic hatchling_.

 _Why do you call me hatchling?_

 _It is what you are_. The green replied with a yawn.

 _Do you have names?_

 _We have names_.

 _May I ask what they are?_

 _No_ , the black hissed. _You are not worthy_.

 _Perhaps. Come here hatchling_. He stared at the blue, who shook her head in a rattle of silver-blue scales, _we do not have all night, you may never get another chance hatchling, we know not why we have been brought here or how long we will be staying_.

 _We will not eat you, if that is what you are worried about_ , the red dragon said with definite amusement, _what would we do for conversation then?_

Harry took a deep breath as he moved over to the bars of the cage that contained the blue dragon.

 _Place a hand on my muzzle_ , she said as she lowered her head

Reaching out a hand Harry made contact with the smooth scales.

 _Listen_. The dragon whispered as the reality around him exploded.

 _Listen to the magic_. He took a deep breathe, the glowing form of the dragon beside him.

 _Listen to the earth_. He stared at the ground, the glowing roots of trees and vegetation spreading out through the ground like a carpet, and everything had a heartbeat, a pulse of life which faded into a deep hum of magic.

 _Listen to the life_. He stared at the bugs in the earth, the faint glow of life they had, then toward the encampment, the brighter glows of wizards in their tents, then at the dragons, the pure light which seemed to move just beneath their skin, waiting to escape.

 _Do you see hatchling?_

 _Yes. I see_. He took a deep breath as the glow around him faded, the world returning to its usual muted colours.

 _The wizards, the glow was only in the centre of the body_.

 _Yes_ , the blue said as she twisted to stare at the camp, _once mages looked like us, like every creature that has been gifted with a deeper connection to magic, now your glow is like a lesser beast, only your cores retaining that link to the world around you_.

 _What do I look like?_ Harry asked as the blue returned her gaze to him.

 _Like a wizard_. The black put in.

 _That is untrue_ , the green said from her nest, _you glowed like a mage of old when you were just opened to the world._

 _But now he looks like a wizard again_. The black snorted.

 _It is getting late hatchling. Those to whom you look will be worried if they cannot find you_. The blue said as she backed away from the bars.

 _Right_. Harry said as he backed away from the cage to pick up his invisibility cloak. _Ah, you were wondering earlier why you had been moved._

 _You know the reason?_ The black said as she moved forward, spiked tail lashing.

 _It's for a competition; those chosen to take part will have to complete a task which will involve fighting past one of you I think._

 _You are part of this competition?_ The red dragon asked as she tilted her head to one side.

 _I am_.

 _In that case, I wish you best of luck young hatchling_.

 _Goodnight._ The green said without opening her eyes.

The black snorted again, moving back to her nest, _until we meet again hatchling._

Harry placed the cloak over his body and moved back towards the edge of the camp.

A hissing whisper followed him, _remember hatchling, listen to the magic, perhaps one day you will see us again, listen to the earth, to the wind, to the life that surrounds you and perhaps then we will judge you worthy to know who we are_.


	2. Chapter 2

_Hello again_. Harry said as he stepped out into the centre of the stands.

 _Hatchling_. The black dragon, he now knew she was a Hungarian Horntail, greeted him rather abruptly.

The dragon eyed him from her nest. _I would appreciate you telling those who think to handle us that I do not like having my children moved, it is not good for them to be subjected to so much travel at this stage_.

 _I will tell them_.

 _Good. So, I assume you have to pick up the false egg which has been placed in my nest_.

Harry nodded.

 _Come closer hatchling, we cannot speak so well from across a great divide_.

She hissed in amusement when he made no attempt to close the distance between them. _Come hatchling, I would not eat you, magical humans don't actually taste very nice, besides, my blue friend has taken a liking to you. She was most disappointed that you were not drawn against her_.

 _Much better_ , she said as he cautiously approached her. _You are older than I thought last night hatchling; you have had a hard life_.

 _You can see that?_ He asked as the black dragon tilted her head, yellow eyes almost seeming to peer through him.

 _I can see many things_.

 _Like?_ Harry asked, tensing to dive aside in case she did not like his question.

 _I can see that you are still afraid of me_.

 _I can see that the one who hunts for you did not catch enough food for you when you were younger_.

 _I can see that you have both poison and healing in your blood_.

 _I can see that you use a crutch to cast your magic; that you depend upon the magic of a Fire Lord instead of your own power_.

 _I can see that those who watch appear to be in shock_.

Harry jerked his head up at the last comment and stared at the silent crowd.

 _Perhaps you had better take that egg and be on your way hatchling, I would not want to be the cause of any deaths from shock_.

 _Thank you_. Harry said as he scrambled up the side of the nest and plucked the golden egg out from beside its steel grey brothers. _Tell ermm, the other three that I said hello_.

 _I will do that_. The Horntail said as she settled back onto her nest as the human hatchling made his way out of the arena.

She scratched a leg with a bronze horn as she contemplated the strange actions of the humans, blinking her yellow eyes she tilted her head and let out a plume of fire at the humans who appeared to be in charge. She let out a snort as one fell backwards and another dove under the table. At least it woke them from their shock, she thought as they started speaking in their own tongue and drawing glowing images in the air.

She settled down again with a sigh, next time she would remember, human keepers bringing out a nice juicy buck hadn't had an epiphany about what tastes nice, they just needed a victim for a long trip.


End file.
